Tattoo

Background

A tattoo is a design that is permanently etched in the skin using needles
and ink. The word tattoo is derived from the Tahitian term
"tatua," which means "to mark." Tattoos have
been displayed by people of all cultures for centuries, but they have only
recently gained social acceptance in the United States.

History

Adding decorative illustrations to skin has been a popular practice since
ancient times. Clay dolls have been found that indicate the Egyptians used
tattoos as early as 4000
B.C.
Over the centuries, different forms of tattoo art have been practiced by
many different world cultures. For example, around 500
B.C.
, the Japanese began tattooing for both cosmetic and religious purposes.
They even used tattoos to brand known criminals as part of their
punishment. The Japanese method involved puncturing the skin with fine
metal needles to create multicolor designs. Eskimos tribes developed their
own technique using bone needles to pull soot-covered thread through the
skin.

In the 1700s, Captain James Cook traveled to Tahitia and observed the
natives' skin marking customs. In his book
The Voyage in H.M. Bark Endeavor,
Cook wrote, "they stain their bodies by indentings, or pricking
the skin with small instruments made of bone, cut into short teeth; which
indentings they fill up with dark-blue or black mixture prepared from the
smoke of an oily nut. This operation, which is called by the natives
'tatua' leaves an indelible mark on the skin." In the
years after Cook's voyages, sailors visiting the Polynesian islands
spread the Tahitian ritual around the Pacific.

The popularity of tattoos continued to grow over the last 200 years. In
the nineteenth century, tattoos became popular in England among the
upper-class. For example, Lady Randolph Churchill, Winston
Churchill's mother, had a snake tattooed around her wrist. In the
United States, tattoos have been historically associated with sailors,
motorcyclists, and prison inmates because tattoo shops were considered
dangerous and socially unacceptable. However, since the 1980s this mindset
has changed considerably and tattoos are becoming increasingly popular
among men and women of all ages.

Design

A tattoo design is called "flash" and it can consist of any
sort of artwork from simple symbols or letters to detailed sketches or
caricature. Flash can be composed of one color or many. Tattoo parlors
display a large assortment of flash on their walls with the larger ones
having as many as 10,000 to choose from. In addition, clients may bring in
their own design or they may work with the artist to develop custom flash.

When selecting a design it is important to consult with the artist to
establish an appropriate size and location for the tattoo. The artist can
also help decide on color schemes that will determine the price of the
final art. Care should also be taken to identify a reputable tattoo parlor
that follows the guidelines set forth by the Association of Professional
Tattooists (APT). According to the APT, the tattooists should follow these
precautionary measures: have the client fill out consent forms before
beginning the procedure; wash and dry their hands immediately before and
after working on the customer;

A tattoo artist applying a permanent tattoo.

wear latex gloves at all times; only use instruments that have been
sterilized in an autoclave; clean all surfaces with a disinfectant or
biocidal cleanser; and dispose of used tissues and other waste material in
a special leak-proof container to limit the transmittal of blood borne
diseases.

Raw Materials and
Equipment

Flash

The flash, or tattoo design, is simply a sketch or a piece of line art
that can be used to create a tattoo. Flash may be shown in color or in
black and white and they are displayed in the tattoo parlor either in
books or along the walls.

Stencil

A stencil is a copy of a flash that is made on a special copying machine.
The stencil allows the inked outline of the design to be transferred to
the skin so it can be traced by the artist.

Ink

Tattoo supply houses sell special inks that are used to create tattoos.
They are available in a variety of colors and are typically packaged in 4
oz plastic squeeze bottles so they are easily dispensed. These inks are
liquid dispersions of pigments that, in the United States, are approved by
the Food and Drug Administration. The ink consists of dyes derived from
metal components. For this reason, allergic reactions to the type of ink
used is possible.

Tattoo Machine

The machine consists of a hand held needle gun connected to a power unit
that provides pressure to move the needles. The needles may be of
different sizes and shapes and are bundled together on a needle bar in
different patterns depending on the requirements of the artwork. The unit
is attached to a power supply that is activated by depressing a foot pedal
on the floor beside the work station. When the pedal is depressed the
tattoo needle bar moves up and down very quickly like the needle on a tiny
sewing machine. It penetrates the skin to inject the dye 3,000 times per
minute.

Miscellaneous supplies

During the course of the procedure the artist may use a variety of
additional supplies including skin disinfectants, disposable razors,
bandages, petroleum jelly, and biocidal cleaning supplies.

The Manufacturing
Process

Before the process can begin, the artist should have the client sign a
waiver that indicates they are over 18, understand the procedure is
permanent, and realize it will create an open wound or abrasion. After
the waiver is signed, the tattooist inspects the skin to ensure it is
free from cuts and

The tattoo machine.

scrapes. He or she then sprays the skin with an antiseptic to kill
germs and reduce the possibility of infection. The artist then shaves
the area and disposes of the razor immediately afterward.

When the skin is ready, the artist prepares the design to be copied onto
the skin. This is done using a copy machine to make a color copy of the
flash that is the proper size. The copier uses a special carbon-type
paper that allows the design to be transferred to skin. The client
exposes the target area and the artist peels the design off the backing
paper and applies it to the proper location. This creates an ink outline
of the design on the skin that is used to guide the artist in creating
the actual tattoo. The client must be careful not to touch the outline
or to otherwise disturb the skin because the stencil can be accidentally
smeared. At this point, the client can look at the design (in a mirror
if necessary) to confirm it is correct. If there is something wrong with
the stencil it can be washed off and applied again. Once the stencil is
completed, the tattooist spreads a thin layer of ointment, such as
petroleum jelly, over the area to be tattooed.

The artist directs the client to sit or lay in 3 a position that exposes
the skin to be tattooed. The client may recline in a dentist-type chair
that can lay flat to aid in exposing the back or buttocks. The position
must be comfortable for the client but must also provide a comfortable
working position for the artist who typically sits on a stool next to
the client's chair.

Next, the artist prepares the tattoo inks on a pallet, which is a
plastic tray with a series of divots to hold the ink. The artist fills
several of these wells with ink; black is typically used for the outline
color. He or she then attaches a needle bar with three to five needles
to the tattoo machine. The needles are dipped into the ink well to suck
up the colorant and the artist then activates the needle gun with the
foot pedal and begins to trace the stencil. Because the needles are
breaking the skin for the first time in this step, it is a very painful
process. The needles deposit the dye in the second layer of the skin
which is about 0.64-0.16 in (1.6-0.4 cm) deep. This process may take
five minutes to an hour depending on the size and complexity of the
design. The skin may be slightly numb by the time outlining is complete.

After the stencil is outlined the artist fills the ink wells with the
colors to be used to finish the tattoo. He or she then connects a shader
needle bar to the tattoo machine. This shader bar may contain five to
thirteen flat needles or five to seven round needles. It is designed to
apply color over a larger area to fill in the outline. The tattooist
guides the tattooing machine over the skin coloring in all sections of
the outline. He or she frequently stops the needle to wipe the blood and
ink off the skin. The amount of bleeding caused by the needle
penetration and the degree of pain experienced varies from person to
person. The shading operation may take an hour or several hours
depending on the complexity and size of the design. Shading is complete
when the entire surface of the tattoo has colored in.

Quality Control

The key to ensuring a successful tattoo is taking care of it properly in
the first few hours and days. Immediately after the tattoo is finished,
the area is washed with a mild soap solution and then covered with an
antibiotic ointment and a gauze bandage. After allowing the area to heal
for about two hours, a bandage should be removed so dried blood can be
washed away. For the first week, apply a vitamin lotion to the area daily.
After that, apply a regular, mild skin lotion to keep the tattooed area
moist until the wound has finished healing. The affected area should be
kept out of hot tubs, swimming pools, and hot baths until the skin has
healed fully. Submersion in water too soon can ruin the tattoo.

In general, taking care of the tattoo is like treating a minor burn. It
must be kept clean and moist, and will experience the same sort of
scabbing and crusting. The initial healing process usually takes about two
weeks.

Tattoo Removal

It is not uncommon for someone to change their mind after a period of time
and to want to have their tattoo removed. Tattoo removal is possible but
the process is difficult, expensive, and not fully successful. In the
past, a wire brush was used to sand the skin and destroy the first and
second layers where the ink resided. Salt solutions were also used to
leach out the ink or acid was used to burn the skin away.

All of these methods are painful and not very effective. Even if the
tattoo can be removed, the affected area may lose its ability to produce
normal skin pigment and some scarring may occur. Recently, lasers have
been used to remove tattoos because they can destroy most of the ink
pigments and cause very little scarring. Still, the process is expensive
and the skin may never produce its normal pigmentation again.

The Future

Tattoos continue to grow in popularity as a method of self expression. It
is also anticipated that tattoos will be used increasingly for medical and
non-medical cosmetic applications. For example, tattoos can be used to
obscure the reddish purple birthmarks known as "port-wine"
stains. They may also be used to improve the skin color of patients with
vitaligo, a disorder that causes the melanocytes in the skin to shut down
and stop producing normal skin color. Tattooing is also being used to
create permanent makeup, such as eye liner or blush, for burned or
disfigured victims.

I'm a artist, with a background and training in fine art painting. My work recently has been lending itself to tattoo themes (symbols such as hearts, daggers and alt.pinup girls etc) and styles. A couple of people have said I should sell some of my art as flash. I've only got three jail tattoos myself, done with a sewing needle, thread and eyeliner ink. Is it essential to have a background in tattooing in order to sell flash? Most of my work is A6 to A2 canvas's, painted in acrylics-what materials are best for drawing flash? Thanx xxx

Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic: